Coalition Sign On Letter: A coalition of advocacy groups, including WCLP, have issued a new sign-on letter opposing the elimination of CalWORKs and the deep cuts to child welfare.  Among the signers are CWDA, CSAC, SEIU, AFSCME, the Child Abuse Prevention Center and others. WCLP is asking organizations to sign on immediately. The letter can be found at: Sign-On Letter.  Please respond directly to Cindi Alvidrez, calvidrez@wclp.org, if you wish to sign-on.

WCLP Letters on Proposed Budget Cuts:  Western Center has sent two letters to the Budget Committee outlining our opposition to the proposed budget cuts:  Medi-Cal, Healthy Families and Proposition 99 letter and CALWorks, SSI, CAPI and CFAP letter.

19 Year Old Foster Children Win Right to Keep AFDC-FC While They Complete High School:  Public Interest Law Project, the Youth Law Center and Western Center on Law and Poverty prevailed in Leonard v. Wagner, which found that the State is illegally discriminating against foster youth with disabilities.   Needy foster care students with disabilities may now continue to receive Foster Care benefits until age 19.  The court relied on Fry v. Saenz, a Western Center case in which the Court of Appeal invalidated a similar rule.